The New Element
by pileoblock
Summary: Everything has changed. In one day, a boy gets heart-breaking news, and is told he will have to go to an orphanage. But, before he gets the chance, something happens. What happens you ask? I believe you will find that on your own... Rated T to be safe. Attention: This story is currently going through some large revisions. I'm sorry for any inconvenience during this period.


Tall, slender stalks of grass glimmered in the soft light of the full moon, moist dewdrops resting upon the fragile blades. A cool breeze drifted through the air, calling for nature's choreography to animate the light green weeds that littered the ground. Armies of ebony clouds meandered through the grey sky, waging war upon the silvery, lustrous beams of the full moon. To the unaltered human eye, this may have been as near to bliss as possible, but an eye filled with tears returns a fruitless search.

One such eye peered upon the land, a beautiful, sparkling, light blue-green eye. Its partner looked on as well, both closing as a fresh wave of tears washed downward, flowing down a small, shiny path of liquid constructed by previous waves. Sobs racked the weak body of the boy of which the eyes belonged, causing him to fall to his knees, another fresh wave of tears following behind him.

As he attempted to return to his former position, his gaze met a large wooden sign, the army of clouds above temporarily disbanding, allowing raw light to illuminate the area. The familiar sight of a large, red painted apple met his sight, engendering memories to form within his head, each attempting to burst forth from the mental wall the boy had attempted to erect.

A burning pain engulfed his senses, sending him crashing to the ground, the tall, soft grass lessening the impact. Colors of multiple hues drifted within the darkness of the backs of his eyelids, seeming to taunt the boy with promises of comfort, promises of love. A picture pushed its way into his mind, blocking view of the tempting color, exchanging it for a view of the sign he had laid eyes on moments before.

Once again, a wooden sign with a painted apple met his gaze, though showing more detail than he had noticed beforehand. Splinters in the wood appeared magnified, miniature spikes on the large board in his mind. The red paint that envisioned the likeness of an apple appeared cracked, though only slightly.

Abruptly, the sign rotated to show its other side. Ornate lettering caught the boy's attention as it spun, golden foil positioned in the likeness of letters. Three names sparkled into his sight, two of which appeared blurred and distorted, both at either side of the sign. In the center, the letters formed to spell the word '_Cody _'.

At this sight, the boy's head began burning once again, sending him falling to his knees yet again. Jarred from the impact, a single tear escaped his eyes, landing on the pitch black floor. Suddenly, the dark floor below the boy vanished, replaced by a cool rush of air. Blindness overtook his sight as he fell, senses giving away to numbness.

The aroma of eggs and toast wafted through the air, pervading the small room the boy now occupied. Rays of early-morning sunlight filtered in from a small window, casting irregular shadows among the walls. Checkered tiles patterned the floor, creaking slightly as the boy adjusted his weight. His figure looked upon him as he stared at a spotless, large, square mirror mounted to the wooden wall that constructed the room around him, placed above a porcelain, white sink.

"Cody," he said, examining his reflection. Quickly, he shifted his hand up to his short, light brown hair, brushing the prickly fibers, relishing the comforting feel. As his hand moved back to rest at his side, he caught a glimpse of the remainder of his body. Bronze skin enveloped the entirety of his build, exhibiting a vast collection of scabs and scars, each bearing the story of how it came to be.

Twisting around, the light grey cotton of the back of his shirt met his eyes, slightly crumpling near his waist as he completed the motion. A dark brown belt constricted around his waist, supporting the light blue denim jeans that concealed his long legs. His form consisted of a medium, muscular build. He stood near five feet six inches, fair for a boy of the age of ten.

As he concluded his self-examination, he turned to his right. A tall, ivory door smiled at him, slightly open. As his hand shifted toward the obsidian black, metal handle, a vociferous cry pierced the air, sending chills through the boy's spine. "Cody!" Without hesitation, the boy continued forward, now seeking the origins of his name.

Hurriedly, he strode down the narrow, wooden hallway the previous door had opened to. Doors lined the walls at irregular intervals, each space between concealed by a painting or picture, none holding any similar qualities in content, nor in size or shape. As he reached the termination of the hallway, a wide -though still small- room met his gaze.

A familiar, round table filled the center of the room, four white, wooden chairs positioned randomly around the piece. Windows lined the walls, allowing natural light to fill the room, illuminating every detail within it. A small, wooden counter sectioned part of the room as a cooking area, shown by a white gas stove and a microwave set into the area. As Cody concluded his examination, a light layer of tears began to form on the edges of his eyes, slightly blurring his vision.

A willowy woman stood near a glass door, both of which Cody had only just noticed. A mammoth smile enveloped her face as she looked at him, tears filling her eyes as well. Long, blonde hair washed down her back, meeting her shoulders with ease. Her green eyes sparkled with happiness as she looked on. A light green t-shirt paired with blue denim jeans clad her form, making her look younger than her already young features implied.

Briskly, the woman glided toward Cody, met halfway by the overwhelmed boy. Tears now poured from both as they embraced each other, the woman planting a small kiss on Cody's head before placing her own head atop the boy, her child. "Shh, it's alright," she cooed, stroking the small spikes of his hair, causing him to grasp onto her shirt, pulling her tighter into the embrace.

"I knew they were lying," Cody struggled through sobs, "I knew you were still alive." A melancholy smile crossed the woman's face as she stopped stroking the light brown strands, prompting Cody to look up.

"I just wish I could see you longer," she replied. As she said this, she began to rise, breaking the embrace. "Don't forget, we will always be with you." With those words, a bright light impeded Cody's vision, clearing away as quickly as it had come. Tears filled his eyes once more as realization smacked him.

"No, it can't be true," he said, raising himself off the wooden floor. "It can't be true!" As fragmentary thoughts drifted through his head, a knock sounded from a door to his left, jolting his mind back to his position. Hurriedly, he raced to the door, opening it jerkily, attempting to halt any more tears from exiting his eyes.

A tall, heavy-set man stood before him, piercing blue eyes scanning him as if looking into his mind. He was clad in a dark blue Navy dress uniform- "Crackerjacks" as he had heard them called before. Golden symbols coated his left sleeve, a white eagle embroidered slightly above a set of shining symbols. His face appeared emotionless, bordering angry. A white hat stood tall on his head, slightly wrinkled.

"Are you-" he paused as he brought out a small, crumpled, torn piece of notebook paper from one of his few pockets, "-Cody?" He asked, his voice deep and rich.

"Yes, why?" Cody asked, still suppressing tears from the earlier event. Abruptly, the man's emotion changed to sadness, a single tear making its way down his cheek. As if weighted, the man knelt down, putting a hand on Cody for support. More tears fell as kept his head facing sternly downward. After a few moments, the man regained his composure, reverting to his emotionless face.

"Forgive me," he said, brushing tears from his cheeks, "my thoughts seemed to have escaped me."

"Don't worry," Cody said, succumbing to his tears as well. A worried expression fixed itself upon the man's face as he looked on.

"Are you alright?" he asked, reaching in his pocket again, bringing out a cotton cloth.

"I'm fine," Cody replied, accepting the cloth in the man's extended arm. He placed the cloth upon his face, slowly wiping tears away. As he uncovered his eyes, he saw that the man had vanished, along with half the world, a cut of darkness before his eyes. "What happened?" he asked himself, slowly backing away from the vacant space.

Instantly, the darkness seemed to jump into the area Cody was standing in, causing him to descend into nothingness. Darkness filled his vision, procuring his sense of hearing as well, leaving him numb and afraid. "Mom! He cried out, flinging himself around blindly. "Dad!"

All the while, silver rays of moonlight poured forth from the moon, washing the land in a pale, ghostly white. The sleeping form of the boy lay still, eyes closed tightly, body positioned awkwardly. The air remained still, deadly silence filling it. Not a creature lay eyes upon the area, at least not physically.

Scintillating rays of midday sunlight rained down upon the busy afternoon streets of Canterlot, washing the land in tranquil warmth. Ponies of all ages and hues crowded throughout the streets, bustling around in a strangely organized way. Magnificently ornate buildings lined the streets, showcasing various assortments of items and displaying mannequins garbed in glittering attire. Tar black tiled roofs stood tall throughout the city, shimmering brightly in the sun.

Overlooking the cheery display stood a tall, beautifully decorated castle, its ivory walls smiling down upon the rest of the city. Golden tiles rested peacefully upon the tall, ornate spires which served as coverings for the large building.

Standing in stark contrast to the shimmering tiles, a tall, dark blue-purple mare surveyed the streets below, quietly listening to the faint sound of hooves on stone. Her mane shown as the night sky, miniature sparkles showing as stars as it moved, seemingly forced by an unseen wind. A long horn protruded from her head, an onyx tiara resting near the base, glistening in the sunlight.

Gracefully, she extended her long, dusky wings, slightly wrinkling a small piece of ebony fabric that hung loosely from her neck, covering her chest. Embroidered on the front shown a silver crescent moon, each stitch meshing together to form a single entity. A sable splotch of fur shown near her flank, a reflection of the image on her chest filling the middle.

The faint sound of metal on metal filled the air, the silvery, elegant horseshoes on her hooves ringing slightly before quieting, overcome by the flapping of wings. Leisurely, she progressed toward a nearby balcony, appearing lost in thought. As she landed with a hushed clack of hooves on stone, her eyes grew dark, the stark black of night skies showing itself in her pupils. All motion seemed to cease except for the shallow rise and fall of her chest and the unstoppable flow of her starry mane.

A cool breeze swept over the mare as she opened her eyes, a prepossessing sight meeting her gaze as her vision focused. Emerald greens and sapphire blues swirled in a fusion of sparkling color, met by ruby and peridot stars that appeared to careen throughout the area. "That's enough of that," the mare said, an expressionless look filling her face as she looked on at the familiar sight.

A light blue radiance shown from her horn, dancing with incomprehensible movements as the mare continued to look on. A brilliant light coruscated throughout the area, promptly diminishing. Instantly, a bevy of doors of multiples hues rushed towards the mare, two neat lines appearing on either side of her.

"So many still dream in our day; none think that night is ablaze elsewhere," she thought, the words echoing slightly through the area. Reigniting her horn, the mare began to traipse ahead, the ground below her rippling as disturbed water in a pond. Both lines of doors swam past her as she progressed forward, the light of her horn assisting her in checking the happenings within.

What seemed to be hours and hours passed in a form of minutes as the mare performed her duties. Hard-pressed thoughts reverberated through the area as she worked, each drifting off to leave way for another. Preoccupied with these tasks, she was taken aback when her head thumped into a door, her horn extinguishing as the sound resonated back into her ears.

Quickly, she recollected her thoughts, adjusting her wings slightly from the impact. "Strange," she observed, examining the door, "this should not be here." Warily, she took a step forward, tapping the wooden, sable door with a hoof. Instantly it reacted, changing briefly to an ivory hue before being swallowed in an inky tint once more.

"It doesn't appear to be dangerous, simply strange," the mare concluded. "Perhaps it is a nightmare as normal?" she asked, hoping for some form of answer. Receiving none, she stepped back, readying her horn once more. "It's not dangerous," she thought. A small light of the same light blue tinge curled around the metal handle. "It's not dangerous."

The words bounced around the area as the door was thrust open, promptly pulling the mare within its dark depths.


End file.
